Equality Florida

The 2016 legislative session is shaping up to be critical for Florida’s LGBT community. With the 60-day session officially kicking off January 12th 2016, lawmakers are already filing bills that would have good and bad outcomes for our community. That’s why we need you to join us on the front lines in Tallahassee on January 25th and 26th for Equality Florida’s Annual Lobby Days!
Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of legislation we are already seeing this year:
THE GOOD:

An Equality Florida member told us last week that his health insurer had denied coverage for an HIV medication he has taken for several years. He ultimately did get his meds, but he worried that the hurdles he faced might signal an effort by the insurance company to encourage HIV-positive clients to find another carrier.
We reached out to Florida Blue and the company acknowledged and apologized for a technical glitch that had affected 89 policyholders. It also issued this statement clarifying their policy.

On August 13, 2015, Debbie and Kari Chin - along with two other married same-sex couples and Equality Florida Institute - filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida's refusal to list both same-sex spouses on their children's birth certificates.
Watch their video and read their interview to learn more about this brave couple who are heading to court to fight for Florida's LGBT families.

Legislators push for statewide LGBT nondiscrimination protections
As cases show, real discrimination persists
despite gains in some areas
August 11, 2015
The assistant manager of a hospital department in Kissimmee was commended often and promoted twice. But in November he was fired, after what he described as months of teasing about his sexual orientation from a new boss.

Mark Puskarich is Equality Florida's new
Tampa Development Officer
Bullied in middle school, he wants to help other youth
As Equality Florida gears up for its next challenge, a new person has joined its Tampa Bay development team.

Equality Florida is proud to stand with Planned Parenthood. For years we have fought side-by-side to ensure quality healthcare & reproductive freedom for women, comprehensive sex education for teens, and equality for all LGBT people. We condemn the smear tactics used against this wonderful organization that serves so many in our state.

81% of Floridians are just fine with same-sex marriage
New poll comes two months after nuptials began statewide
March 26, 2015
Contact:
Jim Harper, Media/Communications, 727-388-3636, [email protected]
A new poll shows that a vast majority of Floridians are content that same-sex couples can now marry in their state.